Possession
by Zombiebrainz
Summary: archie finally got the red orb. but wait, maxie's there and now he has the blue orb. now we gotta have some intense race to see who gets to accomplish their insane plan first. too bad kyogre and groudon arent exactly feeling up to playing along. [ maxie x archie, hardenshipping, to an extent ]


The Red Orb would be his at last.

The whimpering of the elderly couple once guarding the orbs was hardly enough to hinder Archie from claiming his prize atop Mt. Pyre. Even with the heavy found that perpetually haunted the mountain, it seemed to boast its own glow—his eye was drawn to it, a voice in his head honey-sweet singing of how the pieces were all falling together.  
>His hand reached out, the excited hum of Shelly's voice becoming more and more distant the closer his fingers grew to the orb.<br>Its siren's call drew him a step closer, the harshness of his hand's shape fading into something soft as he went to grab it—

"Archie!"

As if struck by lightning he jerked away, his hand retracting sharply to his chest as the piercing voice of his rival interrupted the serenade in his head.  
>A snarl twisting his lips, he twisted around, his enraptured look fading into hatred as his eyes fell upon Maxie.<br>Flanked by Tabitha and Courtney, whose Mightyenas growled and snapped at any Aqua grunt trying to get close to them as Maxie slowly walked to the pedestal.

"You're too late," Archie proclaimed, his voice booming, loud with his pride. Shelly smirked nearby, her shoulder brushing against Matt's as they were forced back by the Mightyenas. The orange-haired admin reached down, her fingers brushing against the pokeball containing her own Mightyena when Archie lifted his hand, signaling for her to stop.  
>She blinked, but obliged, and let her hand fall away as Maxie parted the group of Aqua grunts.<br>"I've already gotten what I need," continued Archie, reaching back and grabbing the Red Orb. He could feel its power pulsing through the palm of his hand.  
>Shivering, he turned back.<p>

Maxie was standing only a short distance away, the redhead not looking nearly as distraught as he might have hoped for.

"There's still time—you have yet to even get near Kyogre," Maxie scoffed, Archie moving away as he approached the pedestal where only the Blue Orb remained. There was the temptation to block him, but something kept Archie from blocking Maxie's passage. He even went as far as backing up, watching as the other man picked up the remaining orb. The grip Archie had on the Blue Orb tightened, feeling a surge of aggressive energy—he swore he even saw the Red Orb flash before Maxie pocketed it with one last look at his rival.  
>Vaguely did Archie think something changed in Maxie's eyes, but it was hard to tell as he turned away, returning to the pair of admins that stood waiting for him.<p>

"Time is ticking, Archie. I suppose now we get to see who will be able to achieve their goal first."

Grimacing, the Aqua leader jerked away, throwing up his hand.  
>"Move out!" he snarled, his grunts scattering, Archie storming forward back towards the steps leading down to Mt. Pyre.<p>

"You're making a horrible mistake."

The low whimper of the elderly woman clutching to her husband on the ground caused Archie to pause, though his eyes remained fixed on the distant horizon beyond the mountain.  
>She shied back and held tighter to her husband, who wrapped a protective arm about her when Archie's eyes seemed to briefly illuminate blue, consuming his irises and the whites of his eyes.<br>Weeping into his shoulder, the old woman was not granted a response as Archie carried on, closely followed by Matt and Shelly, who bore concerned looks for their leader and the strange look in his eyes that had promptly returned to their natural state.

"Maxie, shouldn't we get moving?"  
>Tabitha's voice rang clear, but still hung onto a tentative note as he stared at the darkened face of his boss, whose eyes following Archie's back until he was out of sight, heading back down the mountain.<br>"Give him a headstart."  
>"What?"<br>Tabitha blinked in surprise, expecting Maxie to snarl at him, snap at him for questioning so promptly his decision.  
>Instead, his hooded eyes remained focused ahead, his hands slowly folding themselves behind his back.<br>"I already know where Groudon is," murmured Maxie, Tabitha feeling strangely cold as he watched a smile curve his leader's lips.  
>"I desire to see what he has in store."<br>On his own life, Tabitha could have sworn that Maxie's eyes darkened into a blood red—but it lasted only for a few moments, leaving the admin blinking and baffled.

"A-alright, Maxie…"

The torrential downpour over Route 128 was unusual, enough to cause a sense of concern for the occupants of the submarine being churned by the ocean currents.  
>"Archie, these conditions—even underwater, we're not safe," Shelly piped up in concern, slowly moving up to where he stood.<br>His hand was pressed against the door that when opened would surely sink the submarine with the water that would surge in, and while normally trusting him, Shelly felt anxious seeing him there.  
>"Archie," she tried again, carefully reaching out, touching his hand as she tried to move his hand away.<p>

Shelly's eyes widened as he lashed out, the woman slammed back against the wall as he struck her with the back of his hand.  
>Stuttering, face stinging badly, a shaking hand gently reached up and touched the rapidly developing red mark on her cheek as she braced herself against the metal wall with her other hand.<br>"W-_why—"  
><em>"Get them to bring the submarine to the surface. I don't need this thing slowing me down—I know where to go."  
>Her mouth opened and closed helplessly, Archie's dead tone suggesting that arguing would not be a good idea.<br>Slowly, she rose from where she had been knocked aside; stumbling off to alert the others that Archie desired the submarine to resurface.

The red lights mounted high on the walls began to flash and alert that they would soon to be returning to the surface, Archie looking to the hand that was not fixed to the door.  
>The Red Orb glowed faintly in his hand, the Aqua leader caressing it gently with the thumb of his hand, his eyes going from dead to gentle, as loving as a parent.<br>"Almost there…" he murmured, able to feel the submarine break through the water, able to hear the rain pounding down upon it.  
>"I'll be there soon."<p>

Pulling away from the door, he strode down the length of the submarine, snarling at any who happened to be in his way. When he got close, Shelly shied away, her face still burning in pain as he dug through a compartment in the submarine, dragging out a wetsuit.  
>"What are you doing…?"<br>Matt's question was heard but went unanswered as Archie turned away.  
>Standing next to Shelly, Matt had a comforting hand on her shoulder, desiring to demand what had given Archie the right to hit her, what had compelled him to do such a thing.<br>But the dark look in his eyes silenced him promptly, his throat tightening as he left the room to change into the wetsuit.

"He's lost his mind," murmured Shelly, her voice fearful, and Matt only stared at the floor, unable to answer.

The Terra Cave was hot, the Magma grunts looking uncomfortable with the heat that was slowly consuming them.  
>Sweat beaded on Courtney's forehead, the woman constantly wiping it away before it could drip in her eyes which followed Maxie as he led them deeper and deeper.<br>"He hasn't even broken a sweat," she remarked quietly to Tabitha, making sure her voice was low enough to not be heard. While cool and collected on Mt. Pyre, he had become more and more on edge with how much closer they grew to Groudon.  
>Refusing to speak to anyone, the Blue Orb practically fused to his hand, he led the way as if familiar with the cave, as if it were some second home to him.<p>

"There is something wrong," Tabitha replied grimly, voice just as low as Courtney, if not even lower. His mind remained haunted by the change he had seen in Maxie's eyes, feeling a thick terror tighten his chest.  
>"H-he, he isn't—"<p>

"If you perhaps could cease gossiping back there," Tabitha's teeth clenched, his eyes snapping back to Maxie, "This is where you all must stay."  
>Only darkness laid head—some new tunnel deeper into the cave in which neither Tabitha nor Courtney could see deep into.<br>Lips thinning, tentative about letting Maxie simply carry on by himself, it seemed his choice was made for him as Maxie turned around.  
>"If you follow me, I'll see to it that you are given the necessary punishment. Tabitha, Courtney—take everyone back to the mouth of the cave."<br>Swallowing, Tabitha finally dredged up the courage to protest, his mouth opening, but Maxie was already gone, headed down deeper into the Terra Cave.

"… You heard him," sighed Tabitha, turning around and taking control.  
>"Let's head back—it's too hot in here anyways."<br>There was a relieved murmur of agreement, Tabitha sending one last, worried look back into the darkness before Courtney touched his shoulder, reminding him that they needed to head back.  
>Grimly, he turned away, marching solemnly back with the group they had brought in to the mouth of the cave.<p>

The downpour had only gotten worse as they had reemerged from the depths of the ocean, most of the small group they had with them remaining in the submarine.  
>The small islet they had reemerged next to was partially submerged by water, but Archie did not seem fazed by it—he stared down the darker patches of water while Shelly and Matt stood nearby.<br>"Stay in the submarine," Archie ordered, Matt looking distraught.  
>"Boss, what if—"<br>"_Stay in the submarine!_"  
>His snarl was enough to silence Matt, who turned his head away partially to try and avoid Archie's eyes and partially to shield himself from the vicious onslaught of rain.<p>

"Come back safe," Shelly tentatively tried, but Archie was already moving towards the water. The two admins stayed, watching as he took a deep breath and then dove in, disappearing beneath the surface with the Red Orb in hand.  
>"C'mon, let's head back," Matt ushered, shuddering the cold rain drenching him, Shelly nodding briefly in agreement as they moved back to find shelter in the submarine, welcomed back by their comrades as they all grimly faced the long wait for Archie's return.<p>

Despite the harsh underwater currents, Archie found his rhythm as he kicked his feet, unable to feel the sting of seawater assailing his eyes as he pushed himself deeper, plunging further into the frigid depths.  
>He could see his goal in sight, the mouth of a cave shrouded by a curtain of kelp.<br>Eyes squinting, he focused on it, having some difficulty swimming to the entrance with the Red Orb in his hand, leaving him only with his other arm to truly help him press on.  
>Yet, that siren's call had come back, and he could hear it from the cave, singing to him as he had heard it sing in his dreams.<p>

Combating the water for only a moment further, he found himself inside.  
>A low light glimmered on the surface, encouraging him to swim up, breaking the surface gasping for air.<br>There was dry land for him to clamber onto, Archie ripping off his bandanna as it dripped water still onto his face.  
>Letting it fall—he had no use for it now—he headed deeper in, the siren's call growing louder as he delved into the dark tunnel deeper into the cave.<p>

"There he is!"

Tabitha looked up from the shade of a tree to the cave they had just previously been in, his head snapping up as quickly as was possible of him.  
>The grunt who had cried out the announcement of Maxie's return bore an excited look, hope glowing in her eyes, but it soon all drained, instead filled with dread.<br>"Maxie…"  
>Tabitha stood up, watching as Maxie slowly walked down the slope that had led up the high cave mouth, though none of them went to him.<br>The admin swore he even saw one grunt step back as though tempted to run, but he felt his own feet fixed to the ground.

His head drooping, his shoulders slumped, the only way Tabitha could illustrate Maxie's stride was that of a dead man—limp, with his feet hitting the ground hard as his arms hung as useful as a ragdoll's at his sides.  
>Finally, finding more courage than the others, Courtney moved forward, slow at first before breaking into a run. Her look of panic jolted Tabitha to attention, leaning forward as he cried out, "Courtney, wait!"<p>

"Maxie, are you—"  
>She reached out to him as though ready to catch the weakened-looking man if he were to fall, just within reach as her words fell from her lips.<br>Her words erupted into shrieks of agony as Maxie's hand snapped out, faster than Tabitha's eye could follow, and gripped onto her face, his nails digging into her scalp.  
>Wrenching away, she immediately fell to the ground, clutching at her face, and Tabitha felt sickened as the scent of burnt flesh wafted to him.<p>

Tabitha could not speak as Maxie straightened properly, standing as proud as he had before entering the cave, though his body radiated a red glow that rippled off of him like fire.  
>A terror unfelt before struck his heart as he saw vivid red markings etched into his face, glowing brightly as Maxie stared at his hand, admiring the flames that licked the palm and danced along his fingertips.<p>

"… This will work fine," he murmured, and even from there, Tabitha knew it was not Maxie's voice—its deep, husky baritone was unlike the smooth, rich voice that was truly his own. As his eyes lifted to evaluate the remainder of the team that stood in stunned silence before his power, it took every fiber in his being not to run at the sight of them.  
>Cold, dead—the whites painted black and the irises golden yellow, radiating with such power that he feared for his life.<br>Courtney's screams had died into whimpers as she quietly wept on the ground, Tabitha catching a glimpse of her face, burned and with skin peeling away hot and red.

Her crying was ignored as Maxie let his hand drop, suddenly in control of his body as he moved towards the group stunned and mortified.  
>His eyes hunted through their ranks, evaluating just how important they may be before his gaze landed on Tabitha.<br>"Tell me," languidly did Maxie begin, his eyes becoming hooded as a sweet smile caressed his lips. Tabitha felt with such a look, that smile should have appeared warm and inviting, but as he got closer, he felt the terror suffocating him further.  
>"Where is the bearer of the Red Orb?"<p>

Tabitha was silent, but his mouth was hanging open.  
>"U-u-uhm—" feebly he managed, and Maxie's sweetened look left him, his face contorted into a snarl as he lunged forward.<br>His hand clenched around Tabitha's throat, power surging through his body as he easily lifted him into the air, the admin choking and clutching at his hand.  
>Someone screamed, but Maxie was focused, his eyes focused on Tabitha's rapidly reddening face as his oxygen was gradually cut off.<p>

"Perhaps I wasn't clear enough," Maxie began anew, words spoken slowly as if addressing a child.  
>"<em>Where <em>is the man who holds the Red Orb?"  
>Tabitha's kicked out his legs, his fingertips digging desperately into Maxie's iron hold, trying to loosen what was crushing his trachea and esophagus.<br>"H…he… _Kyogre_," he wheezed with what little air he had in his lungs, eyes squinted as black began to invade his vision, blurring his view of the man he no longer recognized.

"… Hm. Good enough."

Tabitha blinked, confused at how easily this version of Maxie was satisfied until he was thrown, slamming into the tree he had once been sitting beneath.  
>His head cracked back against the trunk, smashed against the tree at an angle unnatural.<br>Tabitha fell limp and lifeless to the ground, his body thumping against the grass as Maxie turned to the remainder of the group.

Many had their faces painted with terror and tears, his eyes trailing away to evaluate their location. Things had changed since the time he had roamed the Earth, when he had been the king of these lands.  
>Licking his lips, Maxie looked back, his dead eyes focusing on one grunt.<br>"You!"  
>She cowered, shaking violently as she clutched to her companion, who held her hand tightly in comfort, though the other woman looked just as petrified.<br>"Which way to the ocean?"

She blinked, not sure how to answer such a simple question, but the growing impatience on his face was enough to have her pointing east.  
>"T-that way… Maxie…" she whimpered and he turned, following the direction of which her finger pointed him, nodding slightly.<br>Taking a step forward, he paused, looking back at the cowering grunt, his eyes narrowing.

"That is not my name. I am Groudon—remember it, the next time you see me, for I will not be as kind as I have been if you mistake me again."

With that said, he turned away, making his way towards the ocean as she had directed while the remaining grunts were left to take care of Courtney and Tabitha.

"Kyogre!"

The deep sea cavern echoed with the boom of Archie's voice, its darkness illuminated by the Red Orb he held above his head.  
>"Your time has come to return to us! Drench the world in a torrential downpour!"<p>

The Red Orb erupted into light, blinding Archie and causing him to drop it, his arm flying up to cover his pained eyes as the body of water in front of him went from being as black and dark as tar to vividly illuminate with red.  
>When it was dim enough for him to let his arm fall, the water was as dark and as red as blood, the entire cavern rumbling with a force that made him freeze.<br>As the head of some great beast began to surface, he realized he had dropped the Orb, lunging forward to grab it.  
>He needed to be able to maintain control of Kyogre, his hand scrambling for it as he dove down.<p>

Water crashed and surged against the cavern walls as he snagged it, only to scream in agony as it scorched his hand.  
>His fingers seized and he could not release it, the agony seeping deep into his bones as he felt fire enter his veins and set his nerves aflame.<br>Hand shaking violently, Archie's screams turned into choked noises of horror as he watched markings burn themselves into his flesh, falling entirely to the ground as his body seized.

The burning began at his hand and then webbed up his arm and into the rest of his flesh, and where it went markings began to illuminate themselves. Glowing bright beneath the wetsuit, the fingers of his other hand, free of the Red Orb's clutches, dug its nails into the cavern as he shuddered and shook from a savage pain that rendered him voiceless.  
>His mouth gaped, opening, closing, before his eyes rolled back, going limp as the eyes of the beast that lurked beneath the water's surface watched him.<p>

Silence enveloped the cavern, tranquility returning as the Red Orb dimmed, losing its vivid glow that it had even boasted before Archie had even entered the cave.

Even the markings on his body had gone dark, still burnt into his flesh as permanent fixtures.

Archie's eyes snapped back open, the markings on his body abruptly bursting into life as well before dimming into a low, blue glow as he slowly heaved himself to his knees and then his feet. Wavering, somewhat wobbly, he took a moment to survey himself, staring at his right hand. He moved his fingers and then curled them into a loose fist that tightened, ice encasing it with spikes erupting from the knuckles.  
>With a blink of his eyes, it melted, water crashing to the cavern floor as he turned and looked back to the way he had come from.<p>

The whites of his eyes slowly turned black, his irises lightening to yellow, and he smiled toothily, displaying twin rows of newly formed fangs.  
>"My kingdom waits," he sang to himself, words ricocheting off of the walls, looking back to the Red Orb sitting near the pool of water.<br>Turning around entirely, he reeled back his foot and then smashed it into the orb, launching it into the water, feeling satisfied with the loud splash it created.  
>"Now that is finished," he murmured, his voice smoky, every word dripping with honey, "This host will have to do…"<br>Flexing his hand once more, clenching it as he felt a delightful sense of power surging through his mortal flesh, closing his eyes.

Silent for a moment, eventually did his eyes open, crinkling in a look of satisfaction.

"He is awake as well. Good. Once and for all, I will finally be granted the ability to drown him."

Setting off, he moved with a new familiarity as his consciousness entirely settled into this flesh he had stolen, casually shoving back the mortal soul that had once laid claim to this body deep, deep back. He would eventually return this flesh to him, but he had business to take care of that was difficult to attend to while in his own form that now lay dormant at the bottom of the sea cavern.  
>With the Red Orb back with it, there should be no issues he decided, staring down the pool of water that led to the outside.<br>Taking one, final glance back to make sure he had accomplished all that he needed, he dove in, the water twisting and contorting around his body to accommodate him, surging forward to provide the momentum to launch him back into the main ocean waters.

Breaking the surface, rain pounded down upon him, even worsening as he paddled to the islet that Shelly had gotten the submarine near.  
>Heaving himself up onto the wet sand that caved and churned beneath his feet, he lifted his head, looking into the distance.<br>Far away, just on the horizon, he could see a burning light, as if the sun had been drawn closer to the Earth.

Not given any time to contemplate it, he heard the crank of something steel being turned, looking over and seeing a submarine.  
>Out from the top emerged a woman, who scrunched up her face at the worsened downpour, looking out to him.<br>"Archie!"  
>Archie? That was not his name—no, it was the host's name.<br>"God, it's gotten so much worse out here… Did you revive it?"  
>So, they had all come to see his return. A smile creased his lips, rain water dripping down his face.<p>

"Yes," he began, seeing her register the change in him, see her pull back with shock and what he saw as slight fear. "And you should be mindful of how you address your god."  
>Her face had grown pale, his gaze turning back to the horizon.<br>It almost looked as if it were on fire.  
>"… There."<br>He lifted up an arm, pointing to where his eyes were fixed, Shelly following his gaze.  
>"I want to go there. If you take me there in that contraption of yours, perhaps I will be kind and spare your life—and whoever else may be in that hunk of scrap metal."<br>He turned back, able to see her throat clench as she swallowed, nodding slowly at first and then quickly.

"Y-yes, we… we can take you, Archie—"  
>"I am not Archie. My name is Kyogre."<br>Shelly blinked, but nodded, her eyes scouring the glowing markings all over his body, the vicious-looking eyes that followed her every move.  
>"I'm… sorry. P-please, get in…"<br>She moved away, providing room for Kyogre to slip into the submarine. The others looked over curiously when seeing their leader had returned only to stare in horror at how he had changed, Shelly quickly coming down after shutting the hatch.

"We're heading west," she told one of them, shoving his shoulder roughly. Her voice, soft and submissive with her possessed leader, had become rough and jagged, shrill with her stress and harsh with her frustration. The grunt nodded and ran off to get the submarine back under the water and heading where she had informed them to.  
>Watching with ever-intent eyes, Archie looked at Shelly, who froze as she felt his hand brushing along her jaw.<br>"You are a good one. I will have to keep you," he murmured, the woman closing her eyes and trying not to shudder in disgust at being touched something she felt nothing but fear for.

"What is your name?"  
>"My name's Shelly."<br>Kyogre smiled, his thumb caressing her cheek, watching as her eyes closed even tighter.  
>"I will remember. You have done well so far, Shelly. You are siding with the right force."<br>His hand fell away and relief swept over her as he walked away, probably off to go find a place to sit while the submarine went to his location of desire.  
>All that Shelly could wonder was where Archie was within that body.<p>

"We're gettin' close."

Matt turned his gaze to Shelly in concern as he checked their location, drawing closer to that eerie brightness that made his stomach churn with anxiety. The weather had not eased up since they had left Route 128, and in fact, it had gotten worse.  
>"Let's just dump him off and get out of here…"<br>"We can't just leave Archie behind, Matt."  
>Shelly pushed lightly at him, her eye brows furrowed in confusion as to why her fellow admin would even contemplate such a thought. Looking back at her grimly, he turned away, checking their location again.<br>"The conditions are too dangerous, and I don't want anyone on this submarine gettin' hurt. That means dumping him off and getting the hell outta there."

Shelly frowned, unable to quite protest it.  
>Ever since the submarine had gotten moving, Archie—no, Kyogre—had sat in the back, where no one dared go. Sitting like a king on his throne, his eyes followed whoever happened by, though his face was clouded with thought even with his alert gaze.<br>Shelly could only wonder what was going through his mind, what reasons he had for going towards where that intense sunlight was, but she knew little of the legendary beast Kyogre beyond what Archie had told them all.  
>Looking at the sonar, grimly she realized how they had all been roped into this with so little information on the dangers involved.<br>She had never thought it would go this far.

"There it is!"

One of the grunts cried out and Shelly grimaced, her hand squeezing Matt's forearm. Gently, he took up her hand within his own, holding it tight.  
>"We're here, Matt—do you wanna surface?"<br>Looking briefly to Shelly, who had fixed her eyes on the steel wall, he nodded slightly, clearing his throat.  
>"Bring it up so we can get this over with."<br>The grunt in question nodded, hustling off, shouting orders left and right as red lights flashed and illuminated the darkness of the submarine.  
>Feeling her hand grab onto his tighter, Matt ran his thumb over her knuckles soothingly, wishing he could speak to Shelly, but unable to as they broke the ocean's surface.<p>

Harsh footsteps rattled the floor, Matt promptly releasing Shelly's hand as he turned around, bracing himself.  
>"Have we finally arrived? This contraption runs horrifically slow," Kyogre growled, his look of thoughtfulness gone. He looked rather impatient, his upper lip curling, rows of sharp fangs glinting in the minimal lighting.<br>Matt swallowed.  
>"Yes," he confirmed, going over to open up the hatch and allow escape from the confinements of the submarine.<br>"Right where you wanted to be."

Kyogre looked to the metal ladder leading up and then back to Matt as though expecting him to reveal that he had instead deceived him.  
>The hatch was cranked open and almost immediately did intense sunlight pour in, Matt even flinching back from how it scorched his skin.<br>"Seems like you're right," Kyogre mused, stepping forward to look up, unfazed by the blinding light surging in as he stared up at the clear sky.  
>A shroud of storm clouds was slowly pulling in, conflicting with the harsh conditions of the sunlight.<p>

"Fine. You have done your job well."  
>Matt did not speak until Kyogre had begun to scale the ladder, following him to make sure they had resurfaced near land.<p>

Clambering up, he was stunned by what met his eyes, looking around in confusion.  
>Where they had reemerged was an island he was familiar with, but it had grown in size—the water lapping at its shorelines was being evaporated by the intensity of the light.<br>Even just peering out of the hatch was enough to get him into a sweat, the heat dizzying as he looked around, baffled.

"The effects of Groudon's drought," Kyogre promptly explained, seeing Matt's confused and distraught look. He looked both bitter and humored, looking into the sky as his own storm clouds slowly crept across the expanse of blue.  
>"He is here…"<br>Matt's lips thinned, recognizing the name of the legendary beast that Team Magma had wanted to revive, but he was uncertain as to what he meant by him being there.  
>When he looked around, all he saw was an island empty of any grand beast that the legends might have spoken of.<br>There was nothing-

"Gah!"  
>An explosion rocked the island, Matt fumbling to grip onto the hatch of the submarine as even the water around rippled from the blast wave.<br>Closing his eyes tightly, when he opened them again, he looked up to see a flames surging up into the sky, pokemon surging out from the forest cover of the island in a panic.  
>Fire was rapidly consuming the trees closest to the shoreline, Matt somewhat able to see the origin of the explosion having been quite close as smoke billowed up into the air, black and suffocating.<p>

While he shook from terror, Kyogre stood unfazed, looking up with a look Matt could only describe as exhilarated.  
>Had he come there to fight whatever had caused… that?<br>Matt grimaced as another wave struck the side of the submarine, sending one last look at Kyogre before going back down, shutting the hatch as he went.

"What was that?!"

Shelly sounded just as scared as he felt, Matt shaking his head as he dropped down from the ladder, yelling, "Get us out of here! Now!"  
>Shelly grabbed his arm as grunts scurried about in a hurry to get them back under, her eyes wide with panic as she shook him.<br>"_What was that?!_"  
>Matt shook his head, closing his eyes as they slowly sank back down into the water.<br>"It's better that we just don't know."

Kyogre watched as the submarine abandoned him, sinking back into the water with a loud siren announcing its departure.  
>"How loyal, they are," he sarcastically remarked to himself, watching as it entirely disappeared from his sights. Easily could he rip that measly vessel into shreds, slaughter its occupants—but they had done what he had asked, and thus, he found himself a gracious enough god to spare them.<br>For the time being.  
>If they so decided to repeat such an act the next time they met, his mercy would be far more limited.<p>

"So you found me."

The first few raindrops of his storm pattered onto his cheeks, Kyogre smiling as he watched the rippling waves of the ocean, slowly calming from the blast wave that had rocked the island.  
>"You did a miserable job of trying to hide yourself, Groudon."<br>He turned away from the ocean, back to the mainland where Groudon stood, a grin breaking across Kyogre's face.

"_That _is the host you chose?"

An indignant look consumed Groudon's face, the markings on his skin seemingly burning brighter with the insult.  
>"He was what took the orb and thus this body will do," he growled, taking a step forward. Flames crackled behind him, rapidly consuming the plant life that had been flourishing on the island.<br>"And it works _fine._"  
>Groudon leaned forward and smashed his foot against the ground, the island rumbling with an earthquake that that ripped apart the earth, the fissure rapidly zig-zagging towards Kyogre.<br>Leaping away from the rapidly opening chasm, he stumbled away, the heel of his left foot barely scraping the edge.  
>Wobbling before finding his balance, ripping away, Kyogre twisted back around to see the grand divide in the island that ran so deep he could see water surging against the newly formed walls.<p>

"You still haven't gotten that temper of yours under con—"  
>Kyogre ducked as a roar filled the air and an intense heat slipped centimeters by the flesh of his face, a fireball soaring past him and landing into the ocean waters.<br>Sizzling and causing more of the water to evaporate, Kyogre slowly straightened back up, feeling rain pounding against his back as his storm clouds began to combat with the conditions of Groudon's drought.  
>An intense sunlight still remained wherever his opponent walked, but where Kyogre stood, rainwater drenched him.<p>

"I am more than in control of my temper," Groudon began, having managed to cross the fissure, slowly moving towards where Kyogre was righting himself. Hands engulfed in flame, somehow the fire had not eaten away his flesh.  
>The time spent on his own had been take adapting this host's body to enduring the amount of power surging through it—but even then, it was only a vessel to a quarter of his strength.<br>His host would surely die if he pushed his body too hard.

He had more than enough to work with as Kyogre grinned at him, a burning hatred churning in his chest. Groudon wanted to scorch that grin, made his flesh melt from his skull and remind him of who was superior between the two of them.  
>"Is that right?" Kyogre taunted, his eyes skirting down to the flames encompassing Groudon's clenched fists and the rapidly closing distance between them.<br>"Then I'm sure you are able to tolerate this—"  
>Kyogre flung up his hands as a flaming fist surged towards him, the rain pounding against him condensing into a whip-like shape that cracked hard against Groudon's abdomen.<br>Flames licked at his cheek before Groudon was sent flying, his body hitting the ground hard as Kyogre recoiled from the sting of burnt flesh.

Reminded of the mortality of this body, his fingertips gently gliding across the burn that had shredded the first layer of skin, revealing pink beneath.  
>Rolling onto his knees, Groudon hissed, his abdomen pulsing in agony from the hard hit he had taken. He could feel the bruising developing, something unfamiliar to his true body, where he could endure nigh upon anything.<br>Looking to where Kyogre was tenderly rubbing his cheek, Groudon lifted up his hand, slamming it palm-down against the soft sand.  
>The earth around Kyogre erupted, sand bursting up as lava exploded from beneath the island.<p>

Snarling, his arms covering his face as the intense heat ripped at his wetsuit and his flesh, he stumbled back, breaking through the plumes of lava.  
>Pain scalded his flesh as the flames still licked at him, Kyogre jerking away in agony as he lunged back into the ocean in desperation to douse the fire that ate away at the wetsuit his host wore.<br>Using the time to get back to his feet, Groudon staggered to the shoreline where Kyogre had vanished beneath the water.

"I'm not done with you!" he screamed at the waves lapping at the shore, his red aura intensifying as the light around him grew stronger.  
>It grew brighter and brighter until, catching a glimpse of what looked like Kyogre, the light solidified, a shrill noise splitting the air as the beam shot down from the sky and split the waters.<br>A torrent of ocean water rose up into the air, Groudon leaning forward as his eyes sought out some dead body floating up to the surface.  
>"You missed."<br>Arms cold and wet encircled his waist, Groudon releasing a snarl of outrage as he tried to turn back, claw out the eyes of his offender.  
>The air was knocked out of him instead as he was pulled back, his hands going from aggressive to helpless as he tried to grab onto something to keep on land.<p>

"_No!_" Groudon screamed, kicking out one last time as water hit his back, Kyogre dragging him beneath the ocean's surface.  
>Choking, struggling to hold onto what air he had still in his lungs, Groudon fought and writhed as he was pulled further down.<br>His hands flew down, bubbles pushing out from beneath his lips as he fumbled with Kyogre's grip on him, his blunt fingernails digging into his wrists.

Blood rose like smoke in the water, Groudon feeling his chest ache as he was forced beneath his opponent, his weight keeping him down in the water.  
>Face contorted in agony, it turned to fury as Kyogre's hand found his throat.<br>He looked so at ease in the water, breathing languidly as he watched Groudon writhe and struggle, his face gradually paling as his squirming weakened.  
>Hands clutching onto Kyogre's, digging bloody crescents into the flesh of his wrists, Groudon could see black swimming in his vision, and the anger in his face softening as his air supply ran short.<p>

Kyogre's eyes were strangely transfixed on his face as he lost oxygen, more bubbles flowing up to the surface from his mouth as Groudon felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. His eyes scoured his face, the suffocating grip on his throat that was beginning to leave indents into his flesh that perfectly replicated Kyogre's fingers becoming soft. In his weakened state, his senses incredibly dulled, Groudon even thought he felt a thumb caressing his cheek, could swear he saw a twisted sort of love in the eyes that watched him slowly die.  
>"You…"<br>Kyogre's voice was crystal clear in the water, Groudon blinking dizzily at him, his hands on Kyogre's soft, lightly clutching to him as if trying not to sink.  
>"You look… so beautiful, when you're dying…"<br>Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, Groudon gave up in his struggle to live, unconsciousness slipping over him.  
>Warm lips pressed over his own, and the world went black.<p> 


End file.
